Straw-cutter



C. D. MALLORY.

Straw Cutter.

No. 27,727? "Patented April 3,- 1860;.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

G. B. MALLORY, OF FREDONIA, NEW YORK.

STRAW-GUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,727, dated April 3, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, C. B. MALLORY, of Fredonia, in the county of Chautauque and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Straw-Cutter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section of ditto taken in the line :0, on, Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a plan or top view of ditto; Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a positive automatic feed attachment so arranged as to insure an even or regular feed of the whole mass to be out within the feed box, the feeding device being capable of adjusting itself to the varying thickness of the layer within the feed box, without at all affecting the perfect operation of the feeding device.

In feeding straw and many other substances to the knives of the various cutting machines in use, the mass of straw or other substance within the feed box is liable to move unequally, the central portion remaining stationary, or moving very irregularly, while the upper and lower parts which are directly in contact with the working parts of the feeding device are moved along. This difficulty is fully obviated by my invention.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a feed-box which may be of the usual form, and supported at a suitable height by any proper framing B.

C is a driving shaft which is fitted transversely in the framing B, and has a bevel wheel D, at one end. This wheel I), gears into a bevel pinion E, on a shaft F, which is attached longitudinally to the framing B, and has a wheel G, on its outer end, to which wheels knives H, are attached, said knives being of curved form, and working as the wheel G, rotates over a leger blade a at the mouth of the feed box A. This wheel G, with its knives are quite similar to those usually employed and therefore do not require a more minute description.

On the shaft F, there is placed a bevel wheel I, which gears into a pinion J, at

one end of a shaft K, that is placed in the framing B, directly underneath the feedbox. This shaft K, has a crank b, at its inner end, and said crank is connected to an upright arm L, the lower end of which is attached to a rock-shaft c, at the front ends of arms (Z, (Z, the back ends of which are pivoted to the framing B, at c. To the upper end of the upright arm L, a cross bar f, is attached. said bar being provided with a series of vertical teeth g, which pass up through slots 71, in the bottom of the feed box A.

At one end of the cross bar f, there is a journal 2', to which a rack M, is attached. This rack M, is fitted and works in a support j, which is at the lower end of a pendant 70, said pendant being fitted loosely on the shaft Z of a cylinder N, which shaft is placed in slotted uprights m, m, at each side of the feed box. The cylinder N, has radial longitudinal plates a, secured to it, which extend the whole width of the feedbox.

To the shaft Z, of the cylinder N, there are attached two rods 0, .0, one near each end. These rods are connected at their lower ends to a platform 0, which is connected at its back end to the framing A by a hinge 72.

On the shaft Z, of the cylinder N, at one end there is placed loosely a pinion P, which gears into the rack M, and on the end of said shaft Z, and within a recess in the pinion P, there is a ratchet g. This ratchet g, is firmly attached to the shaft Z, and a pawl r, which is attached to pinion P, engages with the ratchet.

The operation is a follows: The stufi to be cut is placed in the feed box A, and motion is given the shaft C, by any convenient power. Motion is communicated from the shaft C, to the shaft F, through the medium of the gearing D, E, and the shaft K, is rotated from the shaft F, through the medium of the wheels I, J. The crank b, of shaft K, gives a reciprocating curvilinear movement to the teeth g and the cylinder N, is rotated intermittingly from the cross bar 7, by means of the rack M, loose pinion P, ratchet g, and pawl r. The movement of cylinder N, and the forward movement of the teeth 9, are simultaneous and both act on the article within the feed box at the same time to feed it forward toward the knives of the wheel G, the knives acting in the usual manner. Any desired pressure may be given the cylinder N, by, loading platform 0. It will be seen that the cylinder N, is allowed to rise and fall to compensate for the varying thickness of the layer in the feed box, and it is designed to have the teeth g, project entirely through the layer of stufi to be cut so that the Whole mass may be fed evenly along, and the central part prevented from remaining stationary, as it frequently does with the ordinary feed devices hitherto used. The length of the cut may be varied by regulating the Wrist pin ofcrank Z), so as to virtually lengthen or shorten said crank.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: a l. The arrangement of the cylinder N,

and teeth {7, when they are operated from 20 the same crank in the following manner to Wit the latter belng operated directly from the crank Z), and the former operated from said crank through the medium of the cross bar f, rack M, pinion P, ratchet g, and pawl 7", substantially as described.

2. I further claim, the suspending of the rack M, to the shaft Z, of the cylinder N, by means of the support j, and connectingthe platform 0, to the cylinder substantiallv as described, so as to admit of the rising and falling adjusting movement of the cylinder without interfering with the driving mechanism thereof.

. G. B, MALLORY. Witnesses:

ALLEN HINCKLEY, GEORGE W. STARR. 

